Brazil: Sensitivity, love, patience for elderly cared for in body and soul

The religious community of the Little Missionaries of Mary Immaculate, in Rio do Oeste, southern Brazil, provides daily care to over 100 elderly people, walking alongside them through life’s transitions and helping those who are still able to contribute to their living environment, thus giving them a sense of responsibility.

The current chaplain, who is the oldest priest in the diocese, acknowledges that for him, too, it is a journey of conversion, acceptance, and discovery.

Sr. Denise Cristina has been a nurse and director of the mission with the elderly for over 30 years.

Despite all the administrative tasks and the work needed to keep the mission going, the religious sister does not stop visiting guests during the day, helping them eat and complete their care routines.

For her, developing an attentive attitude is essential. “The little things make a big difference in the life of the elderly. Many times, they can no longer talk, they are suffering, and they want a glass of water but cannot ask for it,” she said.

Basic actions like speaking, listening, seeing, and walking are at times compromised, and the guests are dependent on those who visit them. For Sister Denise, it is an opportunity to put the Gospel into practice.